Holding Hands Is Hard. And Worth It.

Holding hands is hard.
And worth it.

Yesterday was my son’s 11th birthday party.
We had 13 boys over for sports cake (yeah, that’s a thing), and then we all went to an indoor soccer pitch where we spent the day (and when I say ‘we’, I mean ‘they’) playing a soccer match with a real referee and coach.

It was wonderful to see how the boys interacted. How they clapped for each other when they scored. How they ran over to each other when one got hurt (there were a few injuries, but nothing that a hug and a Fanta couldn’t cure, thank goodness), and helped each other up when they fell down.

My favorite part of the game, however, wasn’t the game. It was the warming up. The coach had them play in pairs. And they had to hold hands the entire time.

Playing soccer is hard.
Playing soccer well is really hard.
Playing soccer holding someone’s hand is really super hard.

And it’s beautiful.

These kids did not let each other go. They followed whoever was closest to the ball. There were no struggles about who should lead and who should follow. The one closest to the ball always led. And it led to some great results.

It made me think. Hard.
How would life be if we spent more time holding hands while getting stuff done?
If we kept each other focussed on the same goal, because we knew we needed the other person in order to make it happen?
To be really clearly dependent on someone and to be honest about that?
To know that you were both trying to get the same thing accomplished and it didn’t matter who led, as your goal was the same?

Wow.
I think life would be kind of friggin’ awesome.
More than friggin’ awesome.

Let’s try that.
Think of what you want to do.
Think of who you need to hold hands with to get it done.

Then work together and make it happen.

Don’t forget to clap when things go well and help each other up when you fall down.

That’s how I’m going to live my life today and every day.
I have a lot of new goals, but I can’t reach all of them on my own.
Some of them involve you.

So join me.
Here’s my hand.
Take it.

With love from buffi

OH WAIT:

PS: Call me crazy (because I am) but I’m having a FLASH SALE. My entire Business English Communication Course is 50% off through Friday (February 5). I am feeling kind of YOLO. Take advantage of it. It won’t happen again this year.
Click hier to see more about the other modules and use the discount link at the top of the page.

PPS: If you check out the LUX supplement in next Saturday’s NRC newspaper, you’ll see a familiar face. I’m deeply honored to be featured in the “Lunch met…” section.

PPPS: My hand is still here. X